The U.S. military's unquestioned lead in drone technology is narrowing.
By 2022, the United States is projected to spend less than half the worldwide total on drone research and development, as other countries — principally in Asia — step up production of own unmanned aircraft, according to a report by national security consulting firm Forecast International.
The report projects that research and development will account for $28.7 billion in worldwide spending over the next 10 years, about $11 billion of which will come from the United States. It predicts that the United States will continue to be the largest user of unmanned aerial vehicles but that the U.S. acquisition market will experience a cooling period and "eventually settle at a lower level of activity."
